


A Change In Plans

by swingandswirl



Category: Numb3rs
Genre: M/M, Schmoop
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-18
Updated: 2017-05-18
Packaged: 2018-11-02 05:40:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,688
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10938138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/swingandswirl/pseuds/swingandswirl
Summary: Colby and Ian's fifth anniversary doesn't go quite like Colby expects it to.





	A Change In Plans

**Author's Note:**

> Part of Team Schmoop for the Kevlar theme at Numb3rswriteoff.

  
Colby’s eyes snapped open, his body jerking into full awareness instantly, the aftereffect of years of training. For a moment, he panicked, knowing he was likely extremely late for work, then his eyes fell on the calendar on his nightstand and he relaxed.   
  
Today was his and Ian’s anniversary. He didn’t have to go into work, because he’d made sure to take the day off. As had Ian. In fact, neither of them had any plans for the day that didn’t involve the bed, each other, and a distinct lack of clothing.   
  
Colby leaned back against the pillows, smiling at the thought of his lover. If someone had told him even five years ago that he’d be in a committed relationship with the bastard son of Clint Eastwood and Yoda, he would have told them to go and get their head examined.    
  
He and Ian had started off casual lovers, a good fuck helping to ease the adrenaline rush brought by the often dangerous missions they undertook as part of Delta. They’d continued to get together for beers and a roll in the sack even after Colby’s transfer to LA, and would have continued as merely friends with benefits for God knows how long if Janus hadn’t happened.   
  
Colby had woken up in hospital to find a pale, haggard-looking Ian dozing in a chair by his bedside. Ian had yelled at him for twenty minutes straight about idiot soldiers who were too damn brave for their own good before kissing him senseless.    
  
That had been the start of the best relationship Colby had ever had. He and Ian just clicked on so many levels it was amazing, and although the traveling and the weeks without his lover were hard, it was completely worth it.    
  
And today was five years to the day of that first harsh, needy, wonderful kiss.    
  
“Hey, soldier,” Ian’s voice broke his pleasant reverie. “What are you thinking about?”   
  
Colby took the breakfast tray Ian was holding, setting it to one side before drawing his lover into a kiss. “You.”   
  
“Good thoughts, I hope,” Ian replied between kisses.    
  
Colby didn’t respond, too caught up in kissing him. The low heat in his groin he’d woken up with was growing stronger, fed by Ian’s lips on his, the touch of his hands on Colby’s body. Colby rolled them so he was on top, the better to lavish attention on Ian’s strong jaw, the sleek lines of his throat, as he ground his body against Ian’s  
  
Ian had put on a pair of pajamas, the silk adding a delicious but extremely frustrating friction to their movements. Colby shoved the offending garment out of the way and aligned their hips, his hand going around their cocks as Ian’s tangled in his hair.    
  
Their phones rang, breaking the mood and causing Colby to drop his head to Ian’s shoulder with a muffled curse.    
  
“Any chance we can ignore them?”   
  
Ian shook his head ruefully. “‘Remember what you told David?”   
  
Colby blushed at the thought of someone bursting in on him and Ian in their current state of undress. “Right.” He grabbed his phone and flipped it open. “This better be good.”   
  
“Actually, it’s really bad,” Don replied. “We have a major hostage situation, we need you and Ian here ASAP.”   
  
“Don,” Colby whined. “It’s our anniversary.”   
  
“I know, and I promise to let you get first shot at the guys who’re ruining it,” Don replied. “But as it stands, we need everyone here.”   
  
Colby sighed. He knew a losing battle when he saw one. “Where is this?”   
  
“First National. We’ve got gunmen holding about fifty people hostage.”   
  
“Got it. We’ll be there in twenty.”   
  
Colby turned around to find Ian also on the phone, the look on his lover’s face clearly indicating that he was getting the same news Colby was. As the third best sniper in the country, Ian couldn’t exactly duck out of a hostage situation.    
  
Colby gave him a quick kiss before going to start a shower.   
  
A very cold shower.  

  
  
********* 

  
  
By the time they pulled up to the scene, things were mostly in place- Colby could see SWAT over in one corner, the techs setting up a command station, their team on standby.  They’d just exited the SUV when Don caught sight of them and waved them over.   
  
“Everyone’s already suited up,” he said. “It’s just you two.”   
  
“Got it,” Colby said. He and Ian went to the van that held their weapons and the assorted gear they’d need to make an armed assault.   
  
Ian pulled his shirt off first, Colby trying not to get distracted by the flash of tanned skin. This was neither the time or the place. He focused on getting his own comm unit on, clipping the earpiece on securely.  He’d barely tugged his shirt back down when he noticed Ian standing in front of him.    
  
Ian had a vest in his hands, which he slipped over Colby’s head before tightening the straps. His hands were gentle, his movements lingering, and Colby’s breath caught. Ian touched him like he did when he came back from the road, soft and slow, like he was memorizing every touch and curve of Colby’s body. Colby groaned, trying not to react.   
  
“Ian, what...” Colby started, only to be silenced by a kiss.   
  
“The moment we go out there, we’re going to be agents,” Ian told him. “That’s the way it should be. Right now... I just want to take a few more minutes with the man I love.”   
  
Colby nodded, his throat tightening. He reached for a vest and slipped it over Ian’s head, letting his memories run free even as his hands roamed over Ian’s body, remembering scars old and new, remembering what it felt like to touch battle-scarred skin in the heat of passion, what it felt like to be held in strong arms once the storm had passed.   
  
Ian dropped to his knees in front of Colby, and Colby’s mind went to the gutter for a few seconds before he saw the thigh holsters in his hands. He let Ian snap them around his waist and his thighs, his mind going to all the other times he’d had Ian on his knees in front of him as he fought to control his body.   
  
Ian, the bastard, had a smirk on his face that said he knew exactly what he was doing to Colby.    
  
_Well, two can play at that game,_ Colby thought as he knelt to fix Ian’s own holsters, keeping  his face mere inches from Ian’s groin as he strapped the holsters in place. He kept his touches slow, soft, lingering, mindful that every second he spent like this was a second more they were still Ian and Colby and not Agents Edgerton and Granger.    
  
He looked up and met Ian’s gaze, the soft smile his partner wore telling Colby that their thoughts were along much the same lines. Colby paused for a moment, his breath taken away at the realization that no one else got this. No one else got the side of Ian Edgerton he did, the playful, gentle, loving man who had snuck into Colby’s life and stolen his heart. No-one else got to have breakfast in bed with him, got sneaky declarations of love that might not have been traditional but were heartfelt nonetheless, got to hear him sing off-key rock ballads in the shower, got to stay up half the night with him watching games or wrestling or just talking about everything and nothing, got to be held by him when it felt like there was no more good in the world, got to be kissed and touched and made love to, got to wake up in his arms the morning after.    
  
He snapped the last clasp shut and stood up, pressing a soft, gentle kiss to Ian’s mouth that he hoped encompassed a tenth of what he was feeling, before grabbing them both a pair of safety glasses.   
  
“All done,” he said, and despite how much he loved kicking down doors, he couldn’t help the slight regret that threaded through his voice.   
  
“Just one more thing,” Ian said, and Colby blinked. They were ready, weren’t they? Before he could ask what Ian was talking about, his lover had slipped a ring on Colby’s hand.   
  
Colby’s jaw dropped.   The ring was a simple band of hammered gold, the metal cool and solid against Colby’s skin.   
  
“Ian?” he whispered, too stunned to form the question he wanted to ask.   
  
Ian took Colby’s hands in his, his eyes serious even as he smiled. “I was going to ask you at dinner tonight, but I don't want to wait. Colby... When we first started this, I never thought... but somehow, you wormed your way into my life and into my heart, until I realized I can’t live without you any more. I love you. I know that the life we live has no guarantees, but I want to spend the rest of it loving you.” Ian sank gracefully to one knee. “Colby Granger, will you marry me?”    
  
“Yes,” Colby said, his eyes burning even as joy infused his voice. “Yes, Ian, God, yes.”  
  
He pulled Ian up and into a kiss, laughing, their vests bumping against each other as they kissed, his hands tangling in Ian’s hair.  
  
He pulled away. “But I don’t have a ring for you.”   
  
Ian grinned and pulled a second, matching ring from his pocket, this one sized for him. “Got your back, soldier.”   
  
“You always do,” Colby told him, kissing his knuckles before slipping the ring on, marvelling at how right it looked against Ian’s hand. He gave his lover one last quick, fierce kiss before stepping away and grabbing his gun.   
  
He looked at the man in front of him, his brother in arms, his best friend, his lover, the other half of his soul.  
  
“Come on, Edgerton,” he said. “Time to go kick some terrorist ass.”   
  
Ian grinned back, fierce and feral. “Right behind you.”   
  
_No,_ Colby thought as he and Ian walked toward their waiting team. _Beside me.  Now... and forever._

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was originally written and posted on LJ in 2010 and is being reposted here for archive purposes.
> 
> Original Notes and Comments:
> 
> So... in a fit of insanity, I decided to go and sign up for Schmoop at numb3rswriteoff. Me, the angst princess (no way am I queen with ladygray99 around) herself. 
> 
> And, true to form, the Muse crossed her arms, stuck out her lip, and refused to budge. Especially since, for some reason, I had decided to write Colby/Ian schmoop. With Kevlar, of all the damned things, as the prompt.
> 
> I was about five minutes from just saying fuck it and withdrawing when T came to my rescue, helping me poke the teensy sliver of a bunny I had until it grew fic-sized. Thanks, hon!
> 
> This isn't schmoop in the traditional sense. It can't be, given that this is Colby and Ian we're talking about. But even tough guys like them can have tender moments, and I wanted to show that here. 
> 
> This fic is dedicated to emmademarais, who first drew me into the Colby/Ian pairing, because she is made of pure awesome topped with sprinkles of fabulosity. Happy birthday, hon! 
> 
> ++
> 
> Kudos and comments are, as always, appreciated. Come find me at [Dreamwidth](http://swingandswirl.dreamwidth.org) if you want to chat!


End file.
